Changeable sign for street-cars.



y .1a. L. HALLEMAN! GHANGEABLB SIGN STREET GARS.

APPLICATION FILED IAB.. 12, 1907.

Patented Jan. 26, 1909i' 2 SHEETS-SHEET l.

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R. L. HALLEMAN.

OHANGEABLE SIGN F01?. STREET GARS. APPLIuuIon Hman un. 12, 1907.

910,669. Patented Jan. 26, 1909.

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ROBERT LEE HALLEMAN, OF MEMPHIS, TENNESSEE.

CHANGEABLE SIGN FOR STREET-GARS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Jan. 26, 1909.

Application led March 12, 19117. Serial No. 362,034.

To all whom it may concern:

Beit known that I, ROBERT L. HALLEMAN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Memphis, in the county of Shelby and State of Tennessee, have invented new and useful Improvements in Changeable Signs for Street-Cars, of which the following is a speciiication.

My invention relates to changeable signs for street cars and more particularly to that class of signs which are displayed on the front of the car to indicate the destination or the route over which it runs. As is well known, such signs as ordinarily constructed comprise a pair of rolls carrying a curtain or apron on which the various signs are printed and a series of lights is placed behind such curtain at night so as to make the sign visible and a handle of some kind is provided within reach of the motorman whereby the shifting of the sign may be changed at will. Trouble has been experienced, however, with such sign curtains on account of the varying size of the reels as., the curtain is wound from one roll to the other, such variations giving rise to inaccuracies in the position-of the sign and resulting in confusion.

lt is, therefore, the primary object of the present invention to provide a sign of the class described in which provision is made for compensating for the variations in the size of the reel and thus always maintaining the curtain under proper tension and accurately bringing the various readings into place in front of the sight opening.

Another object of the invention is to provide simple and efficient means for operating such curtain from the car platform.

l/Vith the above and other objects in view, the invention consists in the arrangement and construction of parts hereinafter described and shown in the accompanying drawings in which,

Figure 1 is a front elevation of my complete sign and operating mechanism. Fig. 2 is an end elevation of the same. Fig. 3 is a central longitudinal section through the reels and casing, and Fig. 4 is a transverse section of the same.

Referring to the drawings in detail, l provide a frame consisting of a base 1, upright side members 2 and a hood 3, such members forming a casing closed on all sides except the front; and behind this casing is an auxiliary compartment 4 for containing the lights for night use. The end members 2 are preferably formed with flanges 6 for supporting the hood.

Journaled in the side members are two parallel shafts 7 and 3 retained in position at one end by means of nuts 9 and 10. The other ends of the shafts 7 and 3 carry sprocket wheels 11 and 12, respectively, lying outside of the casin Also mounted on the shaft 3 between t e sprocket wheel 12 and the casing is a second sprocket wheel 13 of the same diameter as the wheel 12, and gearing with the sprocketwheels 11 and 13 is a sprocket chain 14. A fourth sprocket wheel 15 is arranged in the plane of the wheel 12 and is mounted below the same on a shaft 5 jonrnaled in a sleeve 16 carried in a bracket 17 secured to the casing 1. A sprocket chain 19 connects wheels 12 and 15 and a bevel gear 13 is mounted on the end of shaft 5 opposite that carrying the sprocket wheel 15. This bevel gear 18 meshes with a similar gear 22 mounted on a shaft 21 which passes through the bracket 17 and is j ournaled above in a socket 20. This shaft extends downward through the roof of the car low enough to be readily accessible to the motorman and carries on its lower end a pivoted lever 25 provided at its outer end with a handle 26. Rigidly secured to the end of the shaft 21 is a leaf spring 27 which bears upwardly against the lever 25. A sleeve 23 surrounds the shaft 21, is secured in the bracket 17 at one end, and terminates at the other end in a bushing 24, the lower peripheral edge of which is formed into a series of notches 38 with which a lug 37 carried by said lever 25 is adapted to engage and thus lock the shaft 21 and associated parts in position.

Surrounding the shafts 7 and 3 are sheet metal rolls 30 and 31 having their ends closed by dished plates 32, 33, respectively, through which the shafts 7 and 3 pass loosely. Mounted within and inclosed by these rolls 30 and 31 are helical coiled springs 23 and 29 extending a considerable portion of the length thereof and surrounding the shafts 7 and 3, respectively. The inner ends of these springs are secured to the shafts 7 and 8, while their outer ends are secured in orifices 31a in the end plates 32, 33, respectively. It will thus be seen that the rolls are free to turn on the shafts, the only connection therewith being through the springs 23 and 29.

rIhese rolls 30 and 31 are. designed to have wound thereon the curtain or apron 34 and the part 35 thereof extending between the rflls carries the sign which it is desired to disa P 'IYhe parts are assembled as follows: The curtain is first wound on the rolls 30 and 8l before they are put into the frame about half the length of the curtain being on each. 'Ihe springs then being in place and secured at one end to the shafts 7 and 8 the rolls are slipped over the shafts and springs and then the springs are fastened at their other ends to the plates 32 and 33 as described. rihen before putting on the sprocket chains the roll 30 is given ten or twelve turns to the left and the roll 31 is given ten or twelve turns to the right and then vthe sprocket chain 14 is placed over the wheels 11 and 13. It will thus be seen that the springs are under a certain amount of torsion and thereby hold the curtain under tension, one of said rolls tending to turn in one direction and the other in the opposite direction. rIhese constitute what might be termed equalizing springs which serve to compensate for the varying diameters of the reels as the curtain is wound from one roll to the other. 'I'he chain 14 will evidently serve to maintain this tension. When it is desired to set the sign, the motorman pulls slightly downward on the handle 26 and thereby disengages the lug 37 from one of the notches 38 and at the same time deiiects spring 27. He can then turn the handle and through the gearing 18 and 22 and the sprocket chains 19 and 14 cause both shafts 7 and 8 to rotate in either direction and at exactly the same speed. The rolls 30 and 31 carry the curtain 34 and are driven from their respective shafts only through the springs 28 and 29 and these springs constitute a resilient connection between the driving means and the curtain carrying means. It will also be seen that the original torsion given to these springs will enable them to always take up any slack which might tend to occur in the curtain duey to the fact that the reel on to which the curtain is traveling might be smaller than the one 4it is leaving. It will be noted that the rolls, lalthough provided with this resilient connection, are both positively driven by the sprocket chain and wheels and that the springs are not relied upon to move the curtain in one direction as has often been the case in devices of this character as heretofore employed. When the sign has been set to the desired position the lug 37 will when the handle 26 is released be urged by the spring 27 into engagement with one of the notches 38, thereby locking the parts in position and preventing accidental movement.

It will be seen that I have rovided a very simple and efficient changeab e sign, and it is thought that the numerous advantages thereof will be readily appreciated by those skilled in the art.

What I claim is:

In a changeable sign, a casing, a pair of shafts journaled therein, coiled springs surrounding the shafts and having their inner terminals secured thereto, rolls inclosing the springs, dished plates secured in the outer ends of the rolls and having orifices in which the outer terminals of the springs are disposed, a curtain Wound in opposite directions on the rolls, a sprocket wheel carried by the like end of each of the shafts, a second wheel carried by one of the shafts, a third shaft carrying a sprocket wheel at one end and a beveled gear at the other, a sprocket chain connecting the two last mentioned sprocket wheels, a counter-shaft carrying a beveled gear meshing with that on the said third shaft, a rigid sleeve provided with a notched head through which the counter shaft projects, and a spring-pressed lever carried by the counter-shaft and having a lug to engage the notches.

In testimony whereof, I afiix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

ROBERT LEE HALIJEMAN.

I/Vitnesses ROY MILLER, W. T. ALLEN. 

